Member News

United Water Dedicates $100 Million Upgrade of Haworth Water Treatment Plant

Surrounded by Bergen County Executive Dennis McNerney, Bergen County Freeholders Jim Carroll and Bernadette McPherson, and Haworth Mayor John DeRienzo, United Water officials officially “turned on the faucet” to celebrate the completion of a $100 million, comprehensive rehabilitation project of the Haworth Water Treatment Plant, located in Haworth, N.J., on the shores of the Oradell Reservoir.

“This critical infrastructure project is not only the largest single capital investment ever made in the 140-year history of United Water, this project has served as a ‘stimulus project’ long before the word ‘stimulus’ became so popular in households across the United States,” said Bob Iacullo, president of United Water New Jersey. “We officially broke ground on the Haworth Water Treatment Plant upgrade project in November 2007. Since that time, this site has experienced an intense level of activity to complete this project on time and within budget.”

“During the peak periods of construction, upwards of 100 skilled workers were onsite on a daily basis to deliver this project to our 800,000 customers in Bergen and Hudson counties,” added Iacullo. “I am pleased to report that because of this project, the Haworth Water Treatment Plant is now one of the most technologically advanced surface water treatment plants in the United States.”

During the ceremony, Jim Glozzy, vice president and general manager of United Water New Jersey, explained that the rehabilitation project satisfied three core objectives: regulatory compliance related to drinking water quality, regulatory compliance related to process waste discharge to the Oradell Reservoir, and operational constraints related to the age of the water treatment plant.

Major elements of the project include the following:

• New Ozone System – The existing ozone system, placed in service in the late 80s, was the first generation of this technology. While state of the art at the time, it is now past its prime. This new ozone system is needed to disinfect the water and to help remove unwanted tastes and odors in the water. The new system will be much more efficient, greatly reducing the amount of energy needed to operate.
  
  
• Dissolved Air Flotation (DAF) – This new and innovative technology, installed by United Water’s sister company, Degremont, is a clarification process and is the main element of the Haworth Upgrade. In basic terms, DAF is a pretreatment stage prior to filtration, where it will remove more than 90 percent of the particles and algae from the source water. The DAF technology at the Haworth Water Treatment Plant, which is the largest of its kind in the United States, allows for superior performance under very high particle and algae loading rates, and removes a significant burden from the filtration process.
  
  
• Chlorine Contact Tanks – Upon completion of the new ozone and DAF systems, new chlorine contact tanks have been installed to serve as a disinfection process to supplement the ozone system. This will be a great improvement over the existing process, where chlorine is applied to the water as it enters the filters. The new tanks allow for a large reduction in the amount of chlorine used without any reduction in disinfection performance, ultimately reducing any byproducts formed.
  
  
• Residuals Handling – New treatment processes have been added to handle the residuals generated from both the filter backwash operation and the new DAF operation. These improvements will allow for the elimination of a current permitted discharge to the Oradell Reservoir. The result is 100 percent efficiency in the use of water taken from the reservoir, resulting in safe drinking water for our customers.

“For more than 800,000 residents within the United Water New Jersey service territory, the future truly is crystal clear,” said Iacullo. “We are very proud of this project and believe it clearly demonstrates United Water’s commitment to improving water quality, serving our customers in Bergen and Hudson counties, and remaining ahead of regulatory requirements that govern Safe Drinking Water. We see this project as an investment in the future of Bergen and Hudson counties, ensuring that the water necessary for growth and prosperity is available to those communities who need it.”

Connecticut Water Named One of America’s 100 Fastest-Growing Small Public Companies by Fortune Small Business Magazine

Connecticut Water Service Inc. announced that it ranked No. 64 in the 2009 “FSB 100,” Fortune Small Business magazine’s annual list of America’s fastest-growing small public companies. The FSB 100 list appears in the magazine’s July/August issue.

FSB’s Justin Martin writes in his opening essay, “In good times, the FSB 100 constitutes an elite group of small public companies: the best of the best … But in this Great Recession, their performance is nothing short of miraculous … All 100 companies on our list have figured out how to succeed no matter what the economic climate.”

According to FSB, the FSB 100 companies outperformed the broader stock market by a wide margin. This year’s stocks posted an average annual return of 9.8 percent for the year ended May 31, 2009, compared with an annual loss of 28.6 percent for the Russell microcap growth index. The ninth-annual FSB 100 includes U.S.-based firms with annual revenues of less than $200 million and a stock price greater than $1. FSB ranks the small-cap companies by stock performance and revenue growth over the past three years.

Utilities Inc. Expands Capacity and Upgrades Wastewater Treatment Plant

Utilities Inc. and its subsidiary Carolina Water Service Inc. of North Carolina (CWSNC) have announced the completion of the capacity expansion and upgrade of its wastewater treatment plant in the Monteray Shores service area in Currituck County, N.C., on the Outer Banks. The new facility was placed into full operation and service on July 1.

This almost $10 million project nearly triples the plant’s previous capacity, expanding it from 180,000 gallons per day to 520,000 gallons per day, while also implementing state-of-the-art wastewater treatment technologies. The added capacity provides wastewater services to the existing customers, as well as positions the system to handle anticipated growth within the Monteray Shores service area well into the future.

Referring to its sensitive location on the Outer Banks, Regional Director Martin Lashua said, “We worked hard during the design phase of this project to ensure the plant design is consistent with our respect for the environment, our need to meet ever-increasing regulatory requirements and our dedication to customer service. We built the plant with multiple ready-to-run redundancy systems including a five-day, 2.6 million gallon full-flow reject tank that allows the plant to best handle a multiple system– failure scenario, including natural disasters, power and/or equipment failures.”

“I’m really excited to have brought such cutting-edge technology to the community,” said Lashua, as he described some of the technologies engineered into the plant, such as Membrane Filtration, Ultraviolet Light disinfection, and Dual Train Biological Nutrient Removal. Further, processes within the plant are constantly computer-monitored and can be controlled either on site or remotely.

Lisa Sparrow, chief operating officer of Utilities Inc., added, “This facility is now one of the most technically advanced treatment facilities on the East Coast, as this type of plant design is unique in its ability to treat high volumes of wastewater in a much smaller footprint compared to other traditional treatment technologies, while producing the highest quality treated water.”

Aqua America's Pennsylvania Subsidiary to Issue $58 Million of Tax-Exempt First Mortgage Bonds

Aqua America Inc. announced that the company's largest subsidiary, Aqua Pennsylvania Inc., entered into an agreement to issue $58 million in tax-exempt First Mortgage Bonds. The bonds are not subject to AMT tax.

The bond issuance is a single series of bonds priced at a 5.0 percent coupon rate with a yield of 5.23 percent maturing in 2039. The bonds were rated by Standard and Poor's (S&P) at AA- with a 1+ recovery rating. Aqua received approval from the Pennsylvania Economic Development Financing Authority for the issuance in 2008. The company intends to close on this transaction in mid-July. The bonds were sold by an underwriting team of Jefferies & Company, Janney Montgomery Scott, Boenning & Scattergood and Edward Jones.

Aqua's ability to access money at this rate is a reflection of the company's A+ S&P corporate credit rating, which improves its ability to economically expand its infrastructure rebuilding program. In 2009, Aqua expects to spend approximately $236 million on infrastructure improvements, most of which will be funded by internally generated cash.

Aqua America Chairman and CEO Nicholas DeBenedictis said, "The strong S&P credit rating allows the company to continue to access the capital markets at reasonable rates and enables Aqua to contribute to the reduction of the overall embedded cost of debt for Aqua America companies, which is now at 5.6 percent. This has allowed us to maintain our business model and to finance infrastructure projects that will improve water quality and reliability, and benefit the local economy."

Artesian Resources Corporation Joins Russell 3000^® and Russell 2000^® Indexes

Artesian Resources announced that it has joined the broad-market Russell 3000^® Index and the small-market Russell 2000^® Index as a result of the annual reconstitution of Russell’s U.S. indexes.

“We are pleased to be listed with the top U.S. companies in the Russell indexes, which are widely used by investment managers and institutional investors and will increase our visibility with investors,” said Dian C. Taylor, chair, president and CEO of Artesian Resources. “These listings clearly demonstrate that we are building value for our shareholders by operating efficiently, and effectively executing our growth and diversification strategy.”

The addition of Artesian became effective at the close of market June 26, 2009, when Russell Investments reconstituted its U.S. and global equity indexes. Annual reconstitution of Russell’s U.S. indexes captures the 4,000 largest U.S. stocks as of the end of May, ranking them by total market capitalization. Membership in the Russell 3000 means automatic inclusion in the large-cap Russell 1000^® Index or small-cap Russell 2000^® Index as well as the appropriate growth and value style indexes. Russell determines membership for its equity indexes primarily by objective, market-capitalization rankings and style attributes.

Russell indexes are used by investment managers and institutional investors for index funds and as benchmarks for both passive and active investment strategies. An industry-leading $4 trillion in assets currently is benchmarked to the indexes.

American Water Donates More Than $216,000 to Water For People

American Water Works Company Inc. announced the company has donated $216,143 to Water For People through its company-wide 2009 fundraising campaign. More than $140,000 was raised through employee contributions.

In addition, American Water will sponsor Richard Bubien, a call-handling supervisor in the company's customer service center in Pensacola, Fla., to participate in a one-week Water For People Country Tour in Malawi in September 2009. Bubien was selected at random from a list of employees who contributed a minimum of $20 per month to the campaign. Water For People Country Tours give participants the extraordinary opportunity to travel to rural communities for a first-hand look at sustainable water and sanitation projects in progress, and the vast difference they are making in people's lives.

For more than a decade, American Water has supported Water For People, an international nonprofit organization that supports locally sustainable drinking-water resources, sanitation facilities, and health and hygiene education programs for people in developing countries.

"I cannot overstate Water For People's tremendous work throughout much of the developing world in securing quality water and health resources for those who strongly and urgently need it," said Ellen Wolf, senior vice president and chief financial officer of American Water, chair of the company's 2009 giving campaign, and a member of Water For People's Board of Directors. "Every year, American Water employees proudly contribute to the important efforts of Water For People through creative fundraising campaigns and events."

"Our extensive efforts in response to the world's water and health concerns are greatly strengthened through the generous donations from American Water," said Ned Breslin, chief executive officer of Water For People. "American Water and its employees should be commended for their contribution, which cannot come at a more important time to address these water and health concerns."

American Water has made an annual contribution to Water For People since it was established 18 years ago, and to date has contributed a total of more than $1.2 million.

Arizona American Offers Low-Income Discount to Sun City Seniors

Water is one of life’s essentials, perhaps something most of us take for granted. Unfortunately, some people worry they could be without it. Across Arizona, there are individuals and families who need help paying their water bills. That is why, more than a year ago, Arizona American Water launched its Low Income Payment Program for residents of Sun City.

“Many of us here, including myself, have family in Sun City who are dealing with the challenges of budgeting on a fixed income. I want to make sure seniors that are eligible for this program, know about it, and take advantage of it,” said Paul Townsley, president of Arizona American Water. “Summer is the month we all use the most water and an especially good time to implement something that might help those in need financially.”

Arizona American Water’s Low Income Payment Program provides aid to its most economically challenged seniors in Sun City, 65 years or older, through rate reductions amounting to approximately 75 percent of a customer’s monthly service charge. In order to qualify, customers must earn less than $14,000 annually for a two-person household and less than $10,400 for an individual.

New England Chapter of NAWC Offers Continuing Education Credits at Semi-Annual Meetings

The New England Chapter of NAWC (NE-NAWC) considers the gathering and sharing of water-industry information to be its highest priority. This focus is now reinforced by the chapter’s announcement that it will begin offering Continuing Education Credits (CECs) at hosted conferences and meetings that meet the standards required by each state’s Board of Accountancy.

This is an exciting opportunity for NE-NAWC participants and attendees to further their career education. CECs are widely accepted by educational institutions as official credits towards professional licensing requirements. By offering recognized CECs to its participants and attendees, NE-NAWC will further increase the value of their events.

The first NE-NAWC event to qualify for CEC status will be the chapter’s semi-annual meeting, to be held Nov. 13, 2009, at the Newport Marriott in Newport, R.I. Additional information on this meeting will be made available in the coming months via NE-NAWC’s newsletter and postings within NewsFlow.